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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: last · pitch · bulb · safe · bowl · capital · ruler · degree

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. last — to go on
  4. capital — a city
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. degree — an amount
  7. pitch — completely
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. capital — money
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. last — finally
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. degree — temperature
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bulb — for light
  20. degree — from a university
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. last — final
  24. capital — a big letter

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com